Smart move, bad timing for SBI transfer

Published: Sunday, June 15, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 13, 2014 at 3:04 p.m.

The State Bureau of Investigation is probing campaign donations to North Carolina politicians from the video-gaming industry.

The Attorney General’s Office has disclosed the investigation just as the General Assembly is poised to transfer control of the SBI from the AG, a Democrat elected statewide, to the Department of Public Safety, under an appointee of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. Who’s playing politics?

North Carolinians are raising this question as news organizations cover this developing story. Meanwhile, politicians of both parties are pointing fingers.

Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is planning to run for governor in 2016, said transferring the SBI is a political move that will hamper the agency’s independence. Republican Senate leader Phil Berger questioned why Cooper’s office disclosed the investigation just as the House and Senate passed budgets that would transfer control of the SBI from the AG’s office to the governor and General Assembly.

The investigation began several months ago but was disclosed Wednesday. It comes after The Associated Press reported last year that political donations from Oklahoma gaming software magnate Chase E. Burns may have violated state campaign funding laws.

The campaigns of Berger, McCrory and House Speaker Thom Tillis all received thousands of dollars in donations linked to Burns, but gave the money to charity after Burns was charged with running an illegal gambling enterprise in Florida. The three Republicans, the state’s highest-ranking elected officials, have denied any wrongdoing in taking the donations.

North Carolinians will have to await the outcome of the investigation, but this is known: Burns and his wife made $235,000 in donations to dozens of candidates from both parties, making him the largest individual donor in the 2012 election cycle in North Carolina.

Court filings reviewed by The Associated Press show one of Burns’ checking accounts dispersed donations to campaigns via checks mailed or hand-delivered by staff at Moore & Van Allen. McCrory worked at the Charlotte law and lobbying firm until days before being sworn into office in January 2013.

The old adage “Follow the money” certainly may apply in this case. But it’s important to keep in mind that none of the recipients of Burns’ money has as yet been charged with any wrongdoing. So what of the plan to transfer control of the SBI?

Democrats who are out of power have already tried unsuccessfully to block transfer of the SBI from the AG’s office to the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Given some of McCrory’s questionable political appointments since taking office, it is understandable that some folks may be skeptical of shifting control of the SBI.

Yet, despite the timing of this latest campaign finance investigation, there are solid arguments for the change, including an estimated $750,000 to $1 million in savings and better coordination with federal and other state law enforcement agencies.

State leaders of both parties have for years considered the idea of moving the SBI from the AG’s office to Crime Control and Public Safety. Although that agency is headed by an appointee of the governor, the appointee has to be approved by the General Assembly.

Current Secretary of Public Safety Frank L. Perry previously served as commissioner of the Division of Law Enforcement where he oversaw operations of Emergency Management, State Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement and State Capitol Police. Perry also served as director of Investigations and Public Affairs for the Foundation for Ethics in Public Service, served 22 years with the FBI as a special agent and senior manager, and has worked with the N.C. State Ethics Commission. He has a strong record of service and argues convincingly for switching oversight of the SBI.

Perry noted that the Perdue and Easley administrations had discussed such a transfer, and he said North Carolina would join a majority of states with this system. “Forty-two other states do it this way and it’s time for North Carolina to evolve and have more integrated law enforcement efforts and this is one way to do that,” he told The Associated Press.

North Carolinians have a vital interest in maintaining the independence and integrity of law enforcement. There’s no reason that should not continue if all law enforcement agencies are consolidated under one department as proposed.

<p>The State Bureau of Investigation is probing campaign donations to North Carolina politicians from the video-gaming industry.</p><p>The Attorney General’s Office has disclosed the investigation just as the General Assembly is poised to transfer control of the SBI from the AG, a Democrat elected statewide, to the Department of Public Safety, under an appointee of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory. Who’s playing politics?</p><p>North Carolinians are raising this question as news organizations cover this developing story. Meanwhile, politicians of both parties are pointing fingers.</p><p>Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is planning to run for governor in 2016, said transferring the SBI is a political move that will hamper the agency’s independence. Republican Senate leader Phil Berger questioned why Cooper’s office disclosed the investigation just as the House and Senate passed budgets that would transfer control of the SBI from the AG’s office to the governor and General Assembly.</p><p>The investigation began several months ago but was disclosed Wednesday. It comes after The Associated Press reported last year that political donations from Oklahoma gaming software magnate Chase E. Burns may have violated state campaign funding laws.</p><p>The campaigns of Berger, McCrory and House Speaker Thom Tillis all received thousands of dollars in donations linked to Burns, but gave the money to charity after Burns was charged with running an illegal gambling enterprise in Florida. The three Republicans, the state’s highest-ranking elected officials, have denied any wrongdoing in taking the donations.</p><p>North Carolinians will have to await the outcome of the investigation, but this is known: Burns and his wife made $235,000 in donations to dozens of candidates from both parties, making him the largest individual donor in the 2012 election cycle in North Carolina.</p><p>Court filings reviewed by The Associated Press show one of Burns’ checking accounts dispersed donations to campaigns via checks mailed or hand-delivered by staff at Moore & Van Allen. McCrory worked at the Charlotte law and lobbying firm until days before being sworn into office in January 2013.</p><p>The old adage Follow the money certainly may apply in this case. But it’s important to keep in mind that none of the recipients of Burns’ money has as yet been charged with any wrongdoing. So what of the plan to transfer control of the SBI?</p><p>Democrats who are out of power have already tried unsuccessfully to block transfer of the SBI from the AG’s office to the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. Given some of McCrory’s questionable political appointments since taking office, it is understandable that some folks may be skeptical of shifting control of the SBI.</p><p>Yet, despite the timing of this latest campaign finance investigation, there are solid arguments for the change, including an estimated $750,000 to $1 million in savings and better coordination with federal and other state law enforcement agencies.</p><p>State leaders of both parties have for years considered the idea of moving the SBI from the AG’s office to Crime Control and Public Safety. Although that agency is headed by an appointee of the governor, the appointee has to be approved by the General Assembly.</p><p>Current Secretary of Public Safety Frank L. Perry previously served as commissioner of the Division of Law Enforcement where he oversaw operations of Emergency Management, State Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement and State Capitol Police. Perry also served as director of Investigations and Public Affairs for the Foundation for Ethics in Public Service, served 22 years with the FBI as a special agent and senior manager, and has worked with the N.C. State Ethics Commission. He has a strong record of service and argues convincingly for switching oversight of the SBI.</p><p>Perry noted that the Perdue and Easley administrations had discussed such a transfer, and he said North Carolina would join a majority of states with this system. Forty-two other states do it this way and it’s time for North Carolina to evolve and have more integrated law enforcement efforts and this is one way to do that, he told The Associated Press.</p><p>North Carolinians have a vital interest in maintaining the independence and integrity of law enforcement. There’s no reason that should not continue if all law enforcement agencies are consolidated under one department as proposed.</p>